Home / Exercises / Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl (Version 2)
Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl (Version 2) animation

How to do the Dumbbell Standing Inner Biceps Curl (Version 2)

BicepsDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell standing inner biceps curl targets the often-neglected inner biceps head by rotating your grip outward, building that coveted peak and full arm thickness. Master this subtle variation and you will unlock a level of biceps development that standard curls simply cannot deliver.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Biceps
Secondary
BrachialisForearms

Step-by-step

  1. Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides, then rotate both arms outward so your palms face away from your body at roughly 45 degrees.
  2. Keeping your elbows pinned close to your torso, curl both dumbbells upward while maintaining that supinated outward rotation throughout the movement.
  3. Squeeze your biceps hard at the top with your pinkies driving toward your shoulders to maximize the inner head contraction.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under full control over two to three seconds, resisting gravity all the way back to the starting position.

Common mistakes

  • Letting elbows drift forward as the weight rises, which shifts load off the biceps onto the shoulders, so actively press your elbows back and keep them stationary throughout.
  • Losing the outward rotation mid-rep and defaulting to a standard curl grip, which defeats the purpose of this variation, so consciously cue your pinky-up position before every rep.
  • Using momentum by swinging the torso to complete reps, which reduces biceps tension and risks lower back strain, so choose a weight you can curl with a completely still upper body.

Pro tip — Think about leading the curl with your pinky finger rather than your thumb, this single mental cue locks in the outward supination and consistently drives greater activation through the inner biceps head.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

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